NORTHEAST
The 942-room Resorts Casino Hotel is where the modern world of gaming on the Atlantic City Boardwalk began back in 1978, a point of pride for the award-winning events staff who help planners make the most of the property’s 64,000 square feet of high-tech meeting space divided among 24 dedicated spaces. Need an imaginative table setup in the 6,500-square-foot Atlantic Ballroom? Check. Require some beefed-up A/V capabilities in one of the two on-site theaters? Check. Want to import more bandwidth into the new 12,000-square-foot Resorts Conference Center? Check.
Indeed, the eager events team can smooth the way for most any kind of gathering at the property, which also features an 80,000-square-foot casino, a health club and spa, and a very popular indoor/outdoor swimming pool.
In the heart of Midtown Manhattan’s East Side just off Park Avenue and within steps of Fifth Avenue shopping, Broadway theaters, Rockefeller Center and so much more, the 702-room InterContinental Barclay has been a Big Apple landmark since it opened in 1926. The hotel’s meetings team can help organize events in elegant spaces like the 5,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, 3,500-square-foot Empire Ballroom, the swanky Rockefeller Suite (for up to 85 guests) and more. Many of the dedicated staff here have been with the property for 30 years or more, and they sure do know the ropes.
SOUTHEAST
Rosen Hotels & Resorts is proud of its associates’ longevity and commitment to high standards of service, as exemplified at the 1,501-room Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando. Independently owned, the resort gives its staff the freedom and flexibility to think creatively, adapt to clients’ changing needs and make on-the-spot changes to ensure comfort, convenience and a satisfying hospitality experience. Property-wide, an army of more than 1,000 people work up front and behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly and guests happy.
The meetings team is expert at helping groups make the most of the resort’s 524,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including 136,000 square feet outdoors. Associates help with customizing the award-winning culinary operation for groups, planners’ technical requirements, organizing team-building activities, setting up tee times at the on-site 18-hole, par-72 championship Arnold Palmer golf course and much more.
Aiming to work alongside planners from groundwork to execution, the staff at the 166-room Margaritaville Hotel Nashville offers personalized and immersive experiences customized to the requirements of each meeting or event. The culinary team can curate menus to suit any dietary needs and preferences, while other associates help organize activities for work or play. The hotel’s staff truly enjoys working in the heart of Music City, and it shows in the high level of service afforded to guests.
Years of experience, vision and creativity are on full display when planners contact the associates at the 1,334-room Rosen Centre. From start to finish, the team’s innovation, expertise and ability to adapt quickly shines in the meetings and convention industry. As planners continue to juggle between having a meeting in-person or not, the hotel’s staff calmly guides them through the process, seamlessly relieving the pressure of “what if?” The hotel’s culinary team similarly rises to every occasion, from creatively crafting fine steaks and seafood at the award-winning Everglades Restaurant to blending seasons and spices for a fusion of Caribbean flavors at Harry’s Poolside Bar & Grill.
MIDWEST
The staff at the 500-room Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., is dedicated to providing each guest with kind, professional, friendly service, often going above and beyond to ensure a great experience. From check-in to banquet service and everything in-between, meeting professionals and their attendees can depend on the hotel’s team to plan and execute something memorable, even innovative, as in orchestrating a surprise flash-mob lunch experience at a corporate event. The staff also is committed to giving back to the local community, whether taking part in cooking competitions to help feed the hungry or participating in recycling efforts to help sustain our home planet.
Staff has given back in other ways, as well, such as when the hotel’s general manager Alex Francis recently repelled down the side of the Mall of America (connected to the hotel by skybridge) as part of a “Down For the Challenge Event” in partnership with the Salvation Army, supporting and raising funds for the Pinky Swear Foundation, which helps children in need.
That the staff at the 271-room Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wis., is extremely committed and hard-working is proven every day, but perhaps no more so then in responding to the Covid pandemic as when the resort’s culinary team of 10 safely managed to host 100 weddings during 2021, including seven weddings and five additional functions all in one weekend. Some hotel staffers have forged partnerships with area high schools to help with career mentoring and providing hands-on experience in the hospitality industry. In addition, team members from across the resort step in to assist other departments in their operations when the need arises; even the marketing staff has assisted in the kitchen in dishwashing. Now that’s what we call dedication!
The caring, devoted staff at Detroit’s 400-room MotorCity Casino Hotel routinely goes the extra mile to give guests a relaxing, rewarding experience, and when it comes to meetings and events, they work closely with planners to execute seamless agendas for maximum return on investment. Whether it’s helping to devise effective room setups within the property’s 67,500 square feet of meeting space, collaborating over just the right flow of a meal or assisting in off-site activities, the MotorCity team can manage it all, and with a cheery demeanor and a can-do attitude.
SOUTHWEST
The concept that inspires the staff at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center can be summed up in two words: “Howdy Hospitality.” It’s a positive, make-a-difference attitude and emblem of genuine affection for people that sets this team apart from the pack, and it becomes evident in their day-to-day interactions with guests. When it comes to meetings, the Texas A&M staff pulls out all the stops to ensure that attendees have a bountiful trove of takeaways — and happy memories — to take back home with them.
Team members here will readily step up to help each other in times of need, and they also help students at the property’s namesake university, helping to promote careers in the hospitality industry and well as participating in the Achieve program, which encourages inclusive work opportunities for young adults with disabilities. The hotel has a total of 250 guest rooms and 35,000 square feet of meeting and event space
With the support of its owners and management, the staff at the 297-room AT&T Hotel and Conference center in Austin, Texas, is proud to conduct business in a collaborative manner, ensuring that guests are supported even while helping to keep the property competitive in the market. This partnership requires a detailed understanding of hotel operations and the ability to pivot if and when changes need to be made, whether fine-tuning a room setup or the way food is presented. II could also mean event postponements. The point is for staff to work together with a meeting planner to execute a safe and successful gathering.
With over 315,000 square feet of meeting and convention space in Colorado Springs, Colo., the 784-room Broadmoor strives to deliver an unrivaled event experience with an authenticity that stems from 16 core service standards that have brought the property myriad awards over the years. To ensure that this legacy of service continues, The Broadmoor, which opened back in 1918, offers more than 50 classes to employees that not only teach the basics of hospitality, but the standards set forth by both the Forbes Travel Guide and the American Automobile Association for Five-Star and Five-Diamond service. Every new team member receives over 175 hours of training in their first year alone, and while the standards are complex, the basics are simple: Treat everyone you encounter like your personal guest.
FAR WEST
With 7,093 guest rooms spread among three towers, 2.25 million square feet of event and trade-show space, more than 40 restaurants and so much more, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is a marvel in the gaming, entertainment and hospitality worlds, all made possible by a smart, friendly and attentive staff that keep things running smoothly at the Las Vegas Strip property. When it comes to events, this dedicated team of professionals assist, anticipate and partner with meeting planners to create events that attendees will long remember.
And it indeed takes a team, from the catering and conference manager, where the process begins, to the people who run the resort’s group housing and hotel services, specialized event services, and food and beverage department, not to mention the bellhops, wait staff, maids, bartenders — at The Venetian, all pull together to ensure that events are delivered on a level that exceed expectations.
As one of the top wellness retreats in the world, The Ranch Malibu is a leader in the growing trend of corporate wellness programming, hosting groups in its 21 private cottages since 2010. Founders Alex and Sue Glasscock have assembled a wonderful team, experts all, to help guests learn how to live healthier lives even as they engage in whatever their agenda calls for. From cooking classes to fitness programs, The Ranch Malibu team has its guest covered.
A sanctuary in Menlo Park, Calif., the staff at the 162-room Stanford Park Hotel go all out for their guests, with thoughtful touches including freshly baked cookies served nightly, evening housekeeping, turndown and shoeshine services, chauffeured house car service and more. The boutique property has 5,000 square feet of meeting space equally doted on by the hotel’s attentive associates.
INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. TERRITORIES
Right in the middle of paradise, the 357-room Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino has everything one could want in a sun-splashed hotel, but this one has an unusually attentive staff that takes special notice of groups holding meetings within its colorfully tropical environs. With an expansive 35,000 square feet of event space both indoors and out, the Hilton’s associates assist planners with getting the most out of spaces like the 8,100-square-foot Grand Morris Lapidus Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 900 people in total or divide into three salon rooms.
Moreover, the resort’s official Sunset Concierge creates customized culinary adventures in which groups experience innovative, artisanal private dining. Planners work with their concierge to select from distinctive locations throughout the resort, from the beach to the tropical gardens, to curate truly memorable meals. The concierge remains at the group’s service throughout to assist in every way.
Casa de Campo welcomes guests from around the world to enjoy the warmth, services and charm found in its perch in the Dominican Republic. Staff members have worked hard to keep the 247-room property clean and safe over the past two-plus years, and the resort also offers experts in every field, from golf, shooting, diving, watersports and events, to help planners offer a lively agenda that achieves their goals. The property has 15,000 square feet of meeting space.
Meeting planners have trusted partners in the staff at the 96-room Condado Ocean Club in San Juan, Puerto Rico. These associates guide groups through the property’s many features, from the infinity pool to a semi-private beach, as well as 6,400 square feet of indoor/outdoor function space, which includes the Oceano Ballroom with a capacity of up to 100 people for a reception, and a sleekly modern boardroom for 10.